US 11,739,519 B2
Toilet with efficient water flow path
Clayton C. Garrels, Kohler, WI (US); Jeremiah J. Rauwerdink, Sheboygan, WI (US); and Randal S. Graskamp, Sheboygan, WI (US)
Assigned to Kohler Co., Kohler, WI (US)
Filed by Kohler Co., Kohler, WI (US)
Filed on Mar. 3, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/191,070.
Application 17/191,070 is a division of application No. 16/509,303, filed on Jul. 11, 2019, granted, now 10,961,694.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/696,880, filed on Jul. 12, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2021/0189709 A1, Jun. 24, 2021
Int. Cl. E03D 11/18 (2006.01); E03D 3/00 (2006.01)
CPC E03D 11/18 (2013.01) [E03D 3/00 (2013.01); E03D 2201/30 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A toilet comprising:
a bowl having a sump in a bottom thereof;
a trapway fluidly connecting the sump to an outlet of the toilet, wherein the trapway has a zeta shape and is configured to induce a siphon to provide a pressure to suction waste water from the bowl during a flush cycle; and
a trapway supply conduit fluidly connected to the trapway in an orientation such that a line of the trapway supply conduit is tangent within an angle range to a line of an upleg region of the trapway and the trapway supply conduit is configured to supply water to the trapway that follows a contour of an inner surface of the trapway supply conduit and continues into the upleg region of the trapway by relying on a fluid flow to follow a curve of a convex surface placed proximate to the fluid flow; and
wherein the upleg region of the trapway is defined by a first region that extends outwardly away from the sump, a second region that curves upwardly from the first region toward the bowl, and a third region that loops partially around from the second region back toward the sump and downward along a side of the first region.
 
3. A toilet comprising:
a bowl having a sump in a bottom thereof;
a trapway fluidly connecting the sump to an outlet of the toilet, wherein the trapway has a zeta shape and is configured to induce a siphon to provide a pressure to suction waste water from the bowl during a flush cycle;
a trapway supply conduit fluidly connected to the trapway in an orientation such that a line of the trapway supply conduit is tangent within an angle range to a line of an upleg region of the trapway and the trapway supply conduit is configured to supply water to the trapway that follows a contour of an inner surface of the trapway supply conduit and continues into the upleg region of the trapway by relying on a fluid flow to follow a curve of a convex surface placed proximate to the fluid flow; and
a trapway valve configured to control a flow of water from a main supply conduit to the trapway supply conduit; and
a sump valve configured to control the flow of water from the main supply conduit to a sump supply conduit.
 
6. A tankless toilet comprising:
a bowl having a sump in a bottom thereof;
a trapway fluidly connecting the sump to an outlet of the tankless toilet, wherein the trapway has a zeta shape and is configured to induce a siphon to provide a pressure to suction waste water from the bowl during a flush cycle; and
a trapway supply conduit fluidly connected to the trapway in an orientation such that a line of the trapway supply conduit is tangent to a line of an upleg region of the trapway within ±15° and the trapway supply conduit is configured to supply water to the trapway that follows a contour of an inner surface of the trapway supply conduit and continues in the same direction within ±15° into the upleg region of the trapway by relying on a fluid flow to follow a curve of a convex surface placed proximate to the fluid flow,
wherein the upleg region of the trapway is defined by a first region that extends outwardly away from the sump, a second region that curves upwardly from the first region toward the bowl, and a third region that loops partially around from the second region back toward the sump and downward along a side of the first region.
 
12. A trapway system comprising:
a trapway fluidly connecting a sump to an outlet of a toilet, wherein the trapway has a zeta shape and is configured to induce a siphon to provide a pressure to suction waste water from a bowl during a flush cycle;
a trapway supply conduit fluidly connected to the trapway in an orientation such that a line of the trapway supply conduit is tangent within an angle range to a line of an upleg region of the trapway and the trapway supply conduit is configured to supply water to the trapway that follows a contour of an inner surface of the trapway supply conduit and continues into the upleg region of the trapway by relying on a fluid flow to follow a curve of a convex surface placed proximate to the fluid flow; and
a trapway valve configured to control a flow of water from a main supply conduit to the trapway supply conduit; and a sump valve configured to control the flow of water from the main supply conduit to a sump supply conduit.